


A Nightmare and a Lullaby

by nocturne-of-forest (annathescavver)



Series: Nocturne does Linktober 2020 [2]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Gen, Grief, Linktober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 05:07:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26820040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annathescavver/pseuds/nocturne-of-forest
Summary: Malon wakes from a nightmare. She heads outside and sees Link sitting on one of the stone fences, playing a new song. He sees her, pats the fence next to him, and they talk.
Relationships: Link & Malon
Series: Nocturne does Linktober 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1952161
Comments: 4
Kudos: 14





	A Nightmare and a Lullaby

Malon bolted upright, the nightmare refusing to fade even as she stared at her familiar surroundings. Her fingers, white as bone, clutched her quilt in her lap and her breathing came in harsh gasps. Horrifying visions played in her mind: the ranch on fire, the animals fleeing, her unable to stop any of it.

Shaking her head, she got out of bed and stumbled towards the door to her bedroom. Stopping only long enough to close the door silently - Goddesses, she cursed Ingo and the king for making her feel this way - and headed outside.

There, she breathed in the smell of the ranch: tall grass, hay and straw, and that lingering smell of animals - horses and cows and cuccos. Letting it soothe her racing heart, she leaned back against the door and closed her eyes.

It was her ranch, now.

The thought was as overwhelming as it was pleasing.

She looked upward and saw the moon peeking out from behind a few lazy clouds. There was a breeze, too, just a faint one, and it was on that breeze that she could hear music.

Curious, Malon followed it towards the pasture. In the middle of the field were two stone fences that horses could practice their jumping with, and there was someone sitting on the taller of the two.

With a soft smile, she crossed her arms and leaned against the gate that led to the pasture.

Apparently, Link had not left the ranch yet. Still wearing all his gear (she wondered where he got some of it, honestly), he swayed to the music as he played quietly to himself. It was a beautiful song and he stopped and started as if he were composing it as he went. He kicked his heels against the fence, keeping time as the music seemed to flow out of him.

When he stopped, tapping a finger against the ocarina in his hands, he noticed her. His face brightened and he patted the spot next to him on the fence.

Malon hopped up beside him. “I didn’t know you were still here.”

Link gave her a smile and a shrug, and then started to clean the ocarina.

“Well, I’m glad. You know you’re welcome here anytime.”

He stopped what he was doing for a few seconds before nodding.

“So, what are you doing out here, anyway? It’s past midnight.”

“Two hours past it, I think.”

Malon blinked. “Two hours past it...that’s not any better, fairy boy. Why aren’t you inside? You know there’s a spare room in the house.” When he shrugged, she gave a small, understanding nod. “Can’t sleep, huh? I know that feeling.”

She leaned back on her hands. Above them, the moon went behind a cloud and the pasture darkened with shadows. Drawing in a steadying breath, Malon pushed away the nightmarish visions as they threatened to come forward again. Beside her, Link stiffened, as if doing the same.

“You know, being in charge of the ranch is going to take some getting used to,” Malon said after a few minutes of quiet. “I know what I’m doing. I’ve been doing this most of my life. It’s just...going to be so much different to actually be the owner.”

Link put the ocarina away and leaned forward, tucking his hands between his knees. He looked over at her, waiting for her to continue.

“So, I’ve actually only been working here for about three years at this point. The king ordered my father and I out when I was barely eleven years old. We were forced to find a place to stay in Kakariko, much like everyone from castle town. The inn took us in, but only as long as we kept paying on time. My father took a bunch of odd jobs - repairs around town, helping the one family with their cuccos, things like that. I tried to help in the kitchens, and anything else I could do, but I didn’t really bring in much. I was just a kid and not too many people wanted to pay me.”

Malon stopped, pulled her braided hair over her shoulder. A lot of the red strands were working their way free and she frowned. Undoing the band at the end, and running her fingers through the tangles, she continued.

“Eventually, I got tired of waiting and worrying. Papa spent most of his free time sleeping, or talking to other refugees down in the common area. So, the one morning I pulled on my boots and marched right on over here, and demanded Ingo give me my job back.”

Wriggling her fingers, she watched as a strand of hair flew away on the breeze. “I stood my ground when he argued against it. He needed help, I told him. Every other ranch hand hadn’t lasted more than a few weeks.” She scrunched up her nose. “Honestly, I can’t imagine why.”

Link laughed. “Yeah, sounds like a mystery.”

“Well, he certainly acted like it was,” Malon replied with a smile. “I ended up striking a deal with him. I’ll work here, do pretty much all of the work, and all he had to do was let me stay in my old room, and pay me. I didn’t even ask for that many rupees. For the last three years, I’ve sent most of my money to my father, anyway.

“He’s been a shell of himself for so long,” she continued. “My mama died not long before Ganondorf took over. We were still trying to deal with her loss and it left us vulnerable.”

“I’m so sorry.”

Malon nodded. “Thanks. I’m not sure my father is doing any better, really. I want him to get better. As a child, I needed him to. I had no one and he…”

Link waited.

“He wasn’t there for me.”

A few moments passed. The moon came out again, painting the pasture silver.

“Anyway,” Malon said and shook herself. “I just couldn’t stand not being here to protect the animals. The problem is...well, I’m just afraid of what’s going to happen now. I don’t regret kicking Ingo out, not for one moment. But what if the king comes back after me?”

She began to swing her legs in an effort to hide her shaking. “I’m not afraid of being bullied. I can handle that. I’ve dealt with ornery horses and entitled, sexist buyers. What I am afraid of is the king ordering something. Me, arrested. The ranch, destroyed. I don’t know.”

Link’s eyes were narrowed. He looked angry. He said nothing, and yet Malon got the impression that he was about ready to march into Hyrule Castle himself.

“It probably won’t happen. The king isn’t a fool. Tyrannical, but not a fool. Oh, Goddesses,” she said and put her face in her hands. “The ranch supplies horses for his army, Link. I have to stop that. I will stop that. But that will probably upset him more.”

A hand settled on her shoulder. Gentle and solid.

“Malon, I’m sorry. I put you in his position.”

“No,” Malon said and looked up. “No, you didn’t. I should’ve kicked Ingo out a long time ago. I should’ve stayed, or put up more of a fight that day we were thrown out.”

“You were just a kid.”

“And so were you. I don’t know much of what you were doing all those years ago, but I do know you were always getting into trouble. I suspect it’s the same, now.”

Link glanced away and then nodded. “I’m trying to do something about all this.”

“Good. Just be careful, okay?” Malon took his hand and squeezed. “I have to thank you, anyway. You standing up to Ingo like you did yesterday, well, it gave me the courage to do the same. When he started screaming at you and Epona...I couldn’t stand it anymore. I’ve had more than enough of his nonsense.”

She let go of his hand and it settled between them. “I sent a letter to my father, too. He can come back home. The ranch is mine, still, but I want him home. And maybe I can actually persuade some new hires to actually stick around.”

“I know you can.”

“You can live here, too. If you want. I mean that, fairy boy. You can stay here as long as you like, and when this is over, you’re welcome to move in.” Malon glanced down at her hands, swallowing nervously. “I could always use the extra set of hands around here. And the good company.”

Link appeared as if he wasn’t sure how to respond. His smile was genuine, if a little confused.

Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, Malon gestured to the ocarina on his belt. “Why don’t you keep playing? The song was beautiful.”

With a delighted grin, Link did so. The soft notes floated into the open air of the ranch and Malon closed her eyes as if the music was a lullaby. Soon, she began to sing along, her voice harmonizing easily with his ocarina.

It was a while before they stopped and turned in for the night.

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt for this one was "Nightmares."
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
